del Lago Resort & Casino: 7 cool things about Upstate's newest casino

TOWN OF TYRE, N.Y. --Management is keeping the $440 million del Lago Resort & Casino in Tyre under wraps until the big "reveal" when the casino portion of the property on Route 414 opens to guests at 10:30 a.m. on Feb. 1.

That means no photographs from inside the 414,000-square-foot hotel and casino located just off the state Thruway at exit 41. However, with the casino portion of the project set to open in 23 days, General Manager Jeff Babinski walked a syracuse.com reporter through the property last week offering a sneak peak at Upstate's newest casino.

Here are some of the cool things spotted as construction workers finish off the project.

Fancy bathrooms.

The public restrooms nearest the del Lago casino entrance are whimsically decorated in MacKenzie-Childs mosaic patterns and gold embellishments. The Aurora company is also selling its products in the casino's Savor New York shop near the entrance which will also sell local wines, cheeses and other Finger Lakes products, Babinski said.

Natural light.

Floor to ceiling windows at either end of the casino bring natural light to the 90,000-square-foot gaming floor which is decorated in stone and wood. Ceilings are high, and there are marble columns and bright chandeliers. The gaming floor is straight forward, with no nooks and crannies to get lost in.

Order a drink from your seat.

The 2,000 slot machines allow guests to bet from a penny up to $100. You can also automatically order a drink while sitting at a machine. Key in your drink order on a pad and a server should arrive with it in 7 minutes or less, Babinski said.

The casino has already added more poker tables.

del Lago had originally planned for 10 tables in its poker room, but people commenting on the resort's Facebook account said that wouldn't be enough. So, Babinski said he added two more. The casino has 89 table games including poker.

You can redeem points at merchants outside the casino.

The casino plans to have strong partnerships with local merchants. Players earn points when they gamble that can be redeemed at places like local wineries, as well as in the resort, Babinski said.

What's to eat?

Celebrity Chef Fabio Viviani, who was voted a "fan favorite" on the television show Top Chef, is creating Portico, a high-end Italian steakhouse at the casino.

The resort has a food court with food from Ciccino's Pizzeria & Paninoteca in Waterloo, Smashburger and Moes.

What's a casino without a buffet? The Farmers Market Buffet at del Lago will seat 285. The resort has teamed with local farmers to provide fresh ingredients for the buffet and its other restaurants, Babinski said.

The Vine will offer Cajun-inspired dishes. It's also an entertainment venue with seating for 1,850 and room for 2,400 when it's standing room only. Bad Company is the first act booked for the room.

The Sociale, another restaurant, will open in the summer along with the resort's 205-room hotel and spa.

What won't you see?

A pool. The developers had originally planned to build an outdoor pool at the resort. But, they decided later that guests might not be able to relax by a pool next to a busy Thruway exit or the odor that sometimes wafts from the Seneca Meadows Landfill located 2 miles away, Babinski said.